Franklin Delano Rossevelt Birth: January 30, 1882 Hyde Park, New York Died: April 12, 1945 Warm Springs, Georgia Party: Democrat Terms of Office: (4 terms)March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945 Vice Presidents: John N. Garner (1933–1941) Henry A. Wallace (1941–1945) Harry S. Truman (1945)
Thesis: President Franklin D. Roosevelt became president during one of the hardest periods of time in the United States, the Great Depression. He got through the depression by his New Deal reforms and by isolating the USA from the rest of the world. Twelve years later the longest tenured president helped America get passed the depression and World War II. Even though there were so many positives that came from more than three terms, there were still a few negative outcomes. Franklin D. Roosevelt deserves an A- for his presidency. Goals: Franklin D. Roosevelt’s goals entering his presidency reflected on the status of the nation. All of his goals were aimed to help lessen the burden of the Great Depression. One ambition was to have more stable and trustworthy banks. This goal was achieved when Roosevelt called the Hundred Days Congress members into session who produced much legislation to deal with the crisis. FDR then looked to implement the Three R’s: relief, recovery, and reform. This objective was also reached. Roosevelt and the Hundred Days Congress passed much legislation to support the Three R’s. FDR also sought to inflate the currency of the United States because he thought that it would relieve debtors and stimulate new production. He sought to achieve inflation by having the Treasury purchase gold at elevated price. This plan ultimately did cause inflation because gold holders turned in their gold at the increased price. “Sound money” individuals were resentful of this policy. In February of 1934, FDR turned the nation back to a limited gold standard for international trade only.
Relationship w/ Congress: FDR always had a good relationship with his Congress, mostly because for the most part they agreed with all of the legislation being passed. In a span of 100 days, a number of bills were easily passed, all directed toward immediate relief. These include the Emergency Banking Act, the Glass-Steagall Act, Federal Emergency Relief Act, and the National Industrial Recovery Act. Some laws Congress passed even gave legislative power to the president. After the 1934 congressional elections, FDR was given large majorities in both houses, prompting the Second New Deal. Laws passed include the Works Progress Administration, employing millions to carry out public works projects; Social Security Act, providing unemployment insurance and aid for the elderly; and the Wagner Act, allowing labor to self-organize and bargain collectively through their own representatives. However, in 1938, congressional elections saw a decrease in pro-New Deal members, and Republicans joined with the conservative southern Democrats, ending his ability to get domestic laws passed. In later years it seems his relationship with Congress worsens, as they not only denied his request to pack the Supreme Court, but also bound foreign policy by passing neutrality legislation. However, in 1940, he convinced Congress to pass the first peacetime draft in American history. Best Decision: The act with the most positive impact of Roosevelt’s presidency was the Civilian Conservation Corps. This was one of the many positive bills passed in FDR’s attempt out of the depression, but I think it had the best impact. This program gave jobs to over three million young men. But what made this law special was how these workers planted trees, built roads, worked on flood control and conservation projects. They helped the country while earning one dollar a day to send back to their economically-struggling families. The men were put in rural camps where they were given food, shelter, and companionship from the other workers. It was not only a project that gave many unemployed people jobs, but it helped set up a better country for generations due to the construction. Worst Decision: It was a lot easier to pick out the most negative effect because of the lack of them. There was one negative move that brought FDR’s overall grade down and that was the attempt to put more young Democrats in the Supreme Court. He wanted a bill passed enabling him to appoint up to six new justices that would be more lenient towards his New Deal decisions. Many people were angered by this, even some of his supporters. This scheme prevented many New Deal reforms from passing. This scheme did not help him whatsoever. The scheme hurt him more than anyone else. Longest Lasting Impact: Throughout Roosevelt's New Deal legislation, one particular act stood out from the rest and eventually set a precedent for many years to come. The Social Security Act is considered the most far reaching bit of legislation from the New Deal and has lasted so long that it is still used today. Under the Social Security Act of 1935, retirement income was provided for those over the age of 65, financial assistance was provided to the aged needy, unemployment and disability insurance was created and there were survivors' benefits. Although it did cause a panic within the Great Depression, it was moderated in such a way that it was able to live on to present day times. Today, it seems it is still widely criticized but it serves the purpose that it was meant to serve. Today, Social Security has been branched out to meet more needs but it still holds its foundation and basic entities with the legislation that was passed by Roosevelt. Conclusion: All in all, when it comes to FDR’s presidency, there are more positive consequences than negative. Faced with both the Great Depression and World War II, FDR made decisions that benefited Americans and shaped their world for the better. Even today, we can see his impact, whether it’s in public facilities or social aspects. Franklin Delano Roosevelt deserves an A for his presidency because he guided America through rough patches and to a more stable future. Works Cited: "American President: Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Foreign Affairs."Miller Center of Public Affairs. Web. 15 May 2010. <http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/fdroosevelt/essays/biography/5>. "Biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt."Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Web. 15 May 2010. <http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/education/resources/bio_fdr.html>. "Franklin D. Roosevelt."The White House. Web. 15 May 2010. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/franklindroosevelt>.
Franklin Delano Rossevelt
Birth:
January 30, 1882
Hyde Park, New York
Died:
April 12, 1945
Warm Springs, Georgia
Party:
Democrat
Terms of Office:
(4 terms) March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945
Vice Presidents:
John N. Garner (1933–1941)
Henry A. Wallace (1941–1945)
Harry S. Truman (1945)
Thesis:
President Franklin D. Roosevelt became president during one of the hardest periods of time in the United States, the Great Depression. He got through the depression by his New Deal reforms and by isolating the USA from the rest of the world. Twelve years later the longest tenured president helped America get passed the depression and World War II. Even though there were so many positives that came from more than three terms, there were still a few negative outcomes. Franklin D. Roosevelt deserves an A- for his presidency.
Goals:
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s goals entering his presidency reflected on the status of the nation. All of his goals were aimed to help lessen the burden of the Great Depression. One ambition was to have more stable and trustworthy banks. This goal was achieved when Roosevelt called the Hundred Days Congress members into session who produced much legislation to deal with the crisis. FDR then looked to implement the Three R’s: relief, recovery, and reform. This objective was also reached. Roosevelt and the Hundred Days Congress passed much legislation to support the Three R’s. FDR also sought to inflate the currency of the United States because he thought that it would relieve debtors and stimulate new production. He sought to achieve inflation by having the Treasury purchase gold at elevated price. This plan ultimately did cause inflation because gold holders turned in their gold at the increased price. “Sound money” individuals were resentful of this policy. In February of 1934, FDR turned the nation back to a limited gold standard for international trade only.
Relationship w/ Congress:
FDR always had a good relationship with his Congress, mostly because for the most part they agreed with all of the legislation being passed. In a span of 100 days, a number of bills were easily passed, all directed toward immediate relief. These include the Emergency Banking Act, the Glass-Steagall Act, Federal Emergency Relief Act, and the National Industrial Recovery Act. Some laws Congress passed even gave legislative power to the president. After the 1934 congressional elections, FDR was given large majorities in both houses, prompting the Second New Deal. Laws passed include the Works Progress Administration, employing millions to carry out public works projects; Social Security Act, providing unemployment insurance and aid for the elderly; and the Wagner Act, allowing labor to self-organize and bargain collectively through their own representatives. However, in 1938, congressional elections saw a decrease in pro-New Deal members, and Republicans joined with the conservative southern Democrats, ending his ability to get domestic laws passed. In later years it seems his relationship with Congress worsens, as they not only denied his request to pack the Supreme Court, but also bound foreign policy by passing neutrality legislation. However, in 1940, he convinced Congress to pass the first peacetime draft in American history.
Best Decision:
The act with the most positive impact of Roosevelt’s presidency was the Civilian Conservation Corps. This was one of the many positive bills passed in FDR’s attempt out of the depression, but I think it had the best impact. This program gave jobs to over three million young men. But what made this law special was how these workers planted trees, built roads, worked on flood control and conservation projects. They helped the country while earning one dollar a day to send back to their economically-struggling families. The men were put in rural camps where they were given food, shelter, and companionship from the other workers. It was not only a project that gave many unemployed people jobs, but it helped set up a better country for generations due to the construction.
Worst Decision:
It was a lot easier to pick out the most negative effect because of the lack of them. There was one negative move that brought FDR’s overall grade down and that was the attempt to put more young Democrats in the Supreme Court. He wanted a bill passed enabling him to appoint up to six new justices that would be more lenient towards his New Deal decisions. Many people were angered by this, even some of his supporters. This scheme prevented many New Deal reforms from passing. This scheme did not help him whatsoever. The scheme hurt him more than anyone else.
Longest Lasting Impact:
Throughout Roosevelt's New Deal legislation, one particular act stood out from the rest and eventually set a precedent for many years to come. The Social Security Act is considered the most far reaching bit of legislation from the New Deal and has lasted so long that it is still used today. Under the Social Security Act of 1935, retirement income was provided for those over the age of 65, financial assistance was provided to the aged needy, unemployment and disability insurance was created and there were survivors' benefits. Although it did cause a panic within the Great Depression, it was moderated in such a way that it was able to live on to present day times. Today, it seems it is still widely criticized but it serves the purpose that it was meant to serve. Today, Social Security has been branched out to meet more needs but it still holds its foundation and basic entities with the legislation that was passed by Roosevelt.
Conclusion:
All in all, when it comes to FDR’s presidency, there are more positive consequences than negative. Faced with both the Great Depression and World War II, FDR made decisions that benefited Americans and shaped their world for the better. Even today, we can see his impact, whether it’s in public facilities or social aspects. Franklin Delano Roosevelt deserves an A for his presidency because he guided America through rough patches and to a more stable future.
Works Cited:
"American President: Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Foreign Affairs." Miller Center of Public Affairs. Web. 15 May 2010. <http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/fdroosevelt/essays/biography/5>.
"Biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt." Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Web. 15 May 2010. <http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/education/resources/bio_fdr.html>.
"Franklin D. Roosevelt." The White House. Web. 15 May 2010. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/franklindroosevelt>.